The Arizona Wildcats finished their nonconference schedule on a positive note as they defeated the Long Beach State 49ers 85-70 at McKale Center Tuesday night. The win puts the Wildcats at 12-1 as they head into Pac-12 Conference play.
All five Arizona starters scored in double figures with Allonzo Trier leading the game with 20 points. Gabe York scored 12 and Kadeem Allen, Dusan Ristic and Ryan Anderson each had 11. Anderson also had 14 rebounds.
Mark Tollefsen added 12 off of the bench as the Wildcats extended their home winning streak to 47 games.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of the players on our team for being 12-1 here in our non-conference schedule,” Arizona head coach Sean Miller said. “If you would’ve told me that Kaleb Tarczewski would’ve missed the last few months and we would be 12-1, I probably would bet a lot of money that that wouldn’t be the case.”
Miller also had high praise for center Dusan Ristic who has been starting in place for the injured Tarczewski over the last few weeks.
“Somebody like Dusan is so much further along and more prepared for the Pac-12 than he would have been,” Miller said. “My hope is that we can welcome back our entire team and have a great stretch of health. I think the odds are in our favor, and to become the best team we possibly can be.”
Arizona started out the second half hot with three straight baskets from Ristic. Trier also hit a couple of threes to give the Wildcats a comfortable lead over the 49ers.
However, after a Tollefsen three, Arizona went on a seven minute cold spell where they were unable to make any field goals, going 2-12 in between field goals. Leading by as many as 17, Arizona’s lead was trimmed to nine late in the half.
Late baskets from Allen, Anderson and York helped the Wildcats keep a double digit lead over the surging 49ers. Arizona never led by less than double digits through the final six and a half minutes of the game.
Arizona finished the game shooting 46 percent from the field and going 9-19 from three. Arizona out rebounded the 49ers 40-20. Arizona also shot 28-32 from the foul line.
“Coach makes us shoot them before every game and shoot them during practice,” Trier said about free throw shooting. ”A lot of guys put in a lot of time. Personally I know I make sure I do my duty from there every day. That’s something we think is very important and we pride ourselves on that.”
